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Benedictus
Archbishop Benedictus was elected a middle-aged man named Jarl. Following Church tradition he gave up his birth name when he was elected to this high position, and adopted a new, holy name. In his youth, he was the younger son of a wealthy Lordaeron merchant, and was raised to join the family business. He found religion instead, discovering the Holy Light after meeting an old traveler one night and almost dying when a pack of mercenaries attacked them both. After recovering, Jarl petitioned to join the Church, and was accepted immediately. The kindly Jarl was the student of Lordaeron's religious leader, Archbishop Alonsus Faol. Jarl spent many years learning from his pious master. He rose quickly to the rank of senior priest, and had charge of a large town in Lordaeron when the Scourge appeared. Jarl did his best to evacuate his parishioners and then joined them in their flight to Azeroth. The Church settled him in a town there, but soon promoted him to Stormwind City instead. While there, he helped the Church of Light construct its most striking monument: the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind. He was being considered for promotion to bishop when Archbishop Faol died, and the council chose to elevate him to archbishop instead. The newly named Benedictus took charge of the Church and swore to continue the good work his mentor had begun so many years before. Politics Benedictus was a soft-spoken man of average height and stocky build who looks more like a farmer than a religious leader. He still hates the Scourge for destroying his homeland, and has vowed to direct the Church in destroying that threat forever. Despite his quiet ways, Jarl was surprisingly adept at politics — at least in avoiding confrontation and forming alliances — and he managed to keep the Council of Bishops in check since his elevation. Twilight Prophet With the Cult of the Twilight's Hammer in disarray following the demise of its leader Cho'gall, an enigmatic figure known as the "Twilight Father" has taken on a more active role in the cult's affairs. After capturing a pregnant Blue dragon named Kirygosa, the sister of the new blue dragon aspect candidate Arygos, the Twilight Father makes an effort to hound what remains of the Wyrmrest Accord in Northrend. Using his twilight drakes to attack and take over the Wyrmrest Temple, the Twilight Father successfully claims the center of Dragonblight as the cult's own. His agents succeed in infecting a large amount of unhatched dragon eggs with a chromatic substance, hatching them as twisted abominations; though Krasus sacrifices himself to destroy the brood, the agents, and himself in an effort to save them from this pitiful fate. Regardless, the Twilight Father makes the temple his base of operations, and calls upon Deathwing for his new orders. In a conversation with Kirygosa, he displays a highly pious attitude and a certain love for "his children," referring to his nefarious cultist followers. The Twilight Father has a massive chromatic dragon named Chromatus brought before the temple, and goes about finding a way to awaken it. While inactive, it is not "deceased" per se, though what exactly it would take to bring the five-headed creature out of its slumber remains elusive to the Twilight Father's captive. Shortly after, The Twilight Father is harshly berated by Neltharion after Thrall manages to survive a twilight assault. Deathwing reveals that Thrall is predicted to kill Deathwing and that as such, the former warchief of the Horde must be eliminated without fail. The Twilight Father later meets with Arygos, the duplicitous blue dragon aspect candidate who had sold his sister to the cult prior to their hostile invasion into Northrend. It is revealed that Arygos has entered into an alliance with Neltharion, promising him the loyalty of the blue dragonflight after what will no doubt be Arygos' ascension to the aspect of magic. Arygos later fails to do exactly that, and is subsequently killed by the infinite agent Aedelas Blackmoore. Arygos' blood is used to awaken the sleeping Chromatus, who proceeds to utterly defeat the new blue dragon aspect Kalecgos even at a fraction of his potential power. The Twilight Father is elated at this, and informs Kirygosa that he plans to "mate" her with him, in order to create a more powerful brand of chromatic dragon from her clutch. Repulsed, Kirygosa successfully manages to escape the Twilight Cult's grasp, and the Twilight Father is once again chided by an enraged Deathwing for his carelessness. Soon after, Wyrmrest is besieged by the remaining dragonflights. The Twilight Father mounts Chromatus himself; the hulking creature now at its full power. Though they successfully push back the dragon aspects, a surprise ritual initiated by none other than Thrall results in the aspects acquiring a number of powerful new abilities. Unable to counter them, Chromatus is cast down from the sky in a blaze of bright power; the Twilight Father in tow. In a desperate bid for survival, the Twilight Father contacts Deathwing. After an initial tirade of abuse directed at the Father's failure, Deathwing composes his anger and instructs the Twilight Father to keep a low profile for a while. Neltharion uses his dark magic to materialize his Twilight Father in Stormwind City. It is then revealed that the Twilight Father is none other than the Archbishop Benedictus himself, head of the Church of the Light and highly grateful for his second chance. Changing his identity exclusively to the Twilight Prophet, Benedictus was later responsible for the attack on Thrall during his quest to assist the Guardians of Hyjal, because he prophesied Deathwing's defeat by the hands of Thrall. He had deemed the former warchief to be the final obstacle to the cult's plans, and sent the newly-corrupted Archdruid of the Flame, Fandral Staghelm, to eliminate him. Though unable to kill Thrall outright, Fandral instead shatters his bonds with the elements and renders Thrall's soul little more than a husk; clashing and pure emotions all that remain within. However, this plan is short lived, and with the help of Thrall's beloved Aggra he is restored to his might. Fandral would also be killed shortly after, while making his final stand in the Firelands. He was slain at Wyrmrest Temple while attempting to waylay the orc shaman Thrall and his allies. Lineage Category:Characters Category:Church of the Holy Light Category:Cult of the Twilight's Hammer Category:Human Category:Deceased Category:Priests Category:Bishops Category:Archbishops Category:Lordaeronian